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MODERN DISCOVERIES IN ASTRONOMY".

A LECXUBEOQ "Modern Discoveries In Astronomy " was delivered lasb night, in the large room of the Young Men's Christian Association, Wolleslcystreet, by Major Heaphy, V.O. There wa<3 only a moderate attendance, owing doubtless to other attractions. Mr. S. Hague Smith presided, and the proceedings were opened with sinking the famous 'hymn of Addison, " The spacious firmament on high," after which p^yer was offered by Mr. J. i\. Jackson, and the 19th Psalm read by the Chairman. Major Heaphy, after a few preliminary observations and ou enumeration of the difficulties encountered by Lord Kosse in the cqrutructJon of his monster telescope, entertained the audience with a description of a few of the results of his examination of the heavens. In turning this instrument upon the moon — our nearest neighbour — any building as large as a cathedra], a squadron of vessels, a spot as large aa a dock, a field of wheat — changing *n colour from green to yellow — a regiment of soldiers, or any objeofc displaying a cerfct-in auiouut of change of colour on surface — in shoit, any bpace 240 feet across might have been easily uncovered. But after a careful examination no change of positiOn had been observed. No change of olouror shape, all was still, silent, or dead ; no change of season, no water, no hail, no clouds, no vapour, no air for a creature to breathe. One peculiarity about the moon is, we see only one side of her, and, the centre of giavity being at some distance from her mathematical or true centre, if the moon had an ocean or an atmosphere, it might be taken from one side and heaped up on the other. With respect to the planets, Mercury was lost in the blaz j of the sun, so that observation of ie is very difficult). After an explanation of Biele's Law, the lecturer gave au interesting account of the discovery of the planet ' Neptune, which be characterised as aremarkable illustration of inductive reasoning and careful calculation. Another remarkable discovery was that of A ulcan, a planet interior to the orbit of Mercury, which was observed ou the 26th March, 1859, by M. Lescarbault, a physician afc Orgeros, in the department Euro et Loire, Fiance. The sun and its luminosity was next described, aud those peculiar flame-like projections that havo been observed during a total eclipse of the sun. The question of the composition of the planets was next considered, aud Mars was described as not much different from our earth. There were appjirently frozen oceans at the north and south poles of this planet, and its surface, and even its climate,, might resemble ours. From an analysis of aerolites, a certain number of metals were found to be the component parts, but never on the earth had they been I found mixed in the same way. The obvious inference was that the planets are composed of somewhat bimilar materials. With regard to the stellar world the mind failed to realise the enorinoua distance between the nearest of what ar* called the fixed stars. The earth's alteration of position in its orbit thtough the enOrmoup distance of 182 millions of [ miles, makei uo alteration in the relative distance of the three brilliant stars in Orion. Astronomers have generally described the sun's distance from the earth aa 95 millions of miles, but they have recently gone over the calculations [of Captain Cook. It was to Dr, Halley, the Astronomer Royal, that we are indebted for Captain Cook's visit to New" Zealand. To determiue the distance between the earth and the sun a united series of observations of the transit of the planefc Venua required to be accurately made at sereral places, Hudson's Bay, California, and Tahiti weie fixed upon, and Captain Cook was selected for the latter place. From the measures of the sun's horizontal parallax at these placei the distance was calculated at 94,879,956, as given in the ••Encylopsedia .Britannica," vol. 4, p. 20, Bbh edition. Lardner, ia his "Museum of Soienoe and Art, "makes the distance 82,667200. The following ' extract, bearipg on the question', ia gifen from * 4 Macmillan'g ' Magazine," November, 1868, page 85 :— "This time last'century the, celebrated Captain Cook (then Lieu- / teipimt only) was on hia vray, in tf.M.s. ' Endeavour,' tolOtaheite, to observe the,! transit of Venus which 'tookpUcd in 1769. ! Mr. Sfcone, of Greenwich ObBervatoryj has gone over these calculations of! Cook, and found that the ' Bun^s true distance is less by 4,000,000 miles. Mr. Stone dies not find fault with the calculations of Cook,' bub 'proves their inaccuracy and modifies the distances aa above by them." B it the following from Chambers'a new " Encyclopedia" gives the credit to the head Of the department : " The mean distance of !the sun from the earth, as recently estimated and corrected by Mr, Hind, from Le Vorrier's determination of thd solar parallaxis 91,328,600 miles. Ihe determination of this distance has always been considered the noblest problem in astronomy, chiefly because upon thU measure depends every other measure of dimensions in astronomy excepting those relating to the moon." -With this testimony t;> the correctness of the calculations of Captain Cook, th(> lecture waa concluded amid prolonged applause. An announcement was thea made, that tha next of thi 'series would be one on "Modern Christian Mfadons," by Mr. Boardman. Adoxology was then Bub?* tnd'the benedictim pronounced by the chairmiti, after which the audience' dispersed. ' " Amouie-neafc, feathered with 14 dollars i of green .backs aud fractiopal cuneney, was found in a store TatfGreen'Bay; Wisconsin, whereupou a local paper observes:—- "This is a strong argument for thd resumption of specie payment, as even th* lower animals' b,H growing wasteful and extravagant under ! «ixUofi»Uou of paper currency,",

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Bibliographic details

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3699, 27 May 1869, Page 3

Word Count
952

MODERN DISCOVERIES IN ASTRONOMY". Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3699, 27 May 1869, Page 3

MODERN DISCOVERIES IN ASTRONOMY". Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3699, 27 May 1869, Page 3

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